ALBIN, THE BARBER. SAYS HE DID NOT DRIVE THE MYSTERIOUS CAB FRIDAY NIGHT.
Detectives Witte and Jackson were at once sent for Fred Albin the barber, and were not long in bringing him in. He and Johnson, the porter, were seated on the same lounge in the Mayor's office and Albin was examined by Chief Deitsch when he told the following story:
"I have known Alonzo Walling for about two years. He lived across the street from my home in Hamilton, O. Last fall he concluded to come to this city and study dentistry. He told me this and I offered to come to this city with him. I saw him nearly every evening, and in fact, we chummed together.
"About four months ago he introduced me to Jackson. Jackson came to the shop where I was employed and got shaved about twice a week.
"He was always considered a peculiar fellow—rather eccentric. I know little concerning him.
"I do not know whether it was Friday or Saturday morning that Jackson came into my shop and had me shave his whiskers off. On that day he had a grip when he entered, and I asked him what he had in it. He replied that he would tell me some other day."
Johnson then repeated his statement regarding Albin's connection with the crime, after which Chief Deitsch said:
"What have you got to say about the statement made by Johnson which implicates you with the murder?"
"There is no truth in that. I think I wore a cap on Friday night, but I was not in Wallingford's saloon, as Johnson says. I went home with Walling about fifteen minutes after 9. Jackson came into the barber shop several times with the grip. I naturally had some curiosity to know what it contained but he never would tell me anything definite.
"One day this week I picked up a paper while Jackson was in the shop and read an item about the shoes bought at Greencastle. I knew that Greencastle was the home of Jackson, and I asked him if he had heard about the shoes coming from his town. He said that he had, but that he did not believe it. I suggested that he and I go over and look at the body, but Jackson said that he did not want to see it, as he felt sure that he could not identify it. During this conversation I noticed that Jackson acted somewhat peculiar, but I never dreamed what caused it at the time."
Col. Deitsch and Mayor Caldwell had a long talk with Albin. He persisted in the statement that he knew nothing of the murder.
Clew after clew was run down. Everything reported to the police regarding the murder, no matter of how little importance was thoroughly investigated and the officers were kept continually on the run.
Satisfied that Jackson and Walling were the murderers, and that the identification of the victim was complete the whole energy of the entire detective and police force was turned to the finding of the head, and the identity of the man who drove the cab and the securing of positive evidence on which the murderers could be convicted.